BBC Question Time Audience Member 'Terrified' About Tory-DUP 'Coalition Of Chaos'

'Anti-same-sex marriage. Denies climate change. I'm petrified'.

A BBC Question Time member has spoken of being “petrified” of the prospect of the Conservative Party forming a “coalition of chaos” with the Democratic Unionist Party as senior Tories also express their dismay.

The party has since faced increased scrutiny over its anti-abortion and same-sex marriage stances, as well as members denying climate change is made-made.

The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has sought assurances from May that any deal will not affect LGBTI rights, and Tory MP Tom Tugendhat tweeted he “joined a party that introduced equal marriage, backs civil rights and defends freedom of faith”. “Those principles won’t be compromised,” he added.

And it came to a head on Question Time, which came from London. One audience member asked Tory Cabinet minister Chris Grayling about his view that “there’s nothing unusual about parties working together”. She added:

“What is unusual is that we have a party like the DUP, which is anti-same-sex marriage, which denies climate change, at the forefront of British politics, and I am absolutely petrified at the prospect of such a ‘coalition of chaos’.

“I’m worried about the direction they’ll take our country. I’m terrified about that.”

Grayling responded:

“Parties work together often disagreeing significantly about issues that are important to one or the other. Sinn Fein and the DUP worked side-by-side in Northern Ireland and the administration.

“We were with the Liberal Democrats for five years, we didn’t always agree.

“I fundamentally disagree with the DUP about same-sex marriage but it’s part of the way of life in England, Wales and Scotland.”